Dream factory off and running at Prestbury Park as normal service resumes

Cheltenham in October usually revolves around Twiston-Davies and tweed, but rather peculiarly it is touts and in particular a taped-off intersection of track that are the hot topics as Prestbury Park plays host to a first Saturday meeting of the season.

There was more drama than the course’s executive would have liked on day one of the new campaign at this unrivalled sporting amphitheatre on Friday, with two horses opting to embark on an extra circuit of the track when they should have been gunning for the winning post and, after chewing the cud with Ireland’s champion trainer Willie Mullins among others on Friday night, clerk of the course Simon Claisse has a plan.

"What we've decided to do for today is to use a number of additional staff to actually put a fixed section of rail through where the tape goes," says Classie before racing. "We want this environment to be safe for the horses and riders. We'll then have time next week to give it further consideration, in particular with the festival in mind."